The current ecological challenge confronting Akugbene Community is a classical case of progressive riverbank failure caused by hydraulic scour, continuous undercutting, and lateral river channel migration. In simple engineering terms, the river current has become highly concentrated along the Akugbene shoreline, generating intense whirlpool actions (eddy currents) that steadily wash away the supporting soil beneath the bank. Over time, this process has weakened the stability of the shoreline, leading to rapid collapse and the development of deep gullies. Gbekebor and Tuomo are suffering same challenge.
This persistent erosional force has already resulted in the loss of land, destruction of property, and the submergence of critical community infrastructure, including the recently swallowed concrete jetty. If urgent intervention is not undertaken, further collapse may threaten residential areas, public utilities, economic activities, and community safety.
Akugbene’s shoreline failure is not a mere environmental inconvenience; it is an advancing geotechnical emergency that requires immediate government attention, professional engineering intervention, and environmental protection measures. Appropriate remedial works such as river training structures, erosion control systems, shoreline stabilization, and bank protection engineering solutions must be implemented without delay to halt further devastation.
A technically sound and sustainable solution should follow a two-step approach: First is to redirect the River Energy. This is achieved by dredging the opposite riverbank in order to divert and redistribute the concentrated current away from Akugbene. This will reduce the hydraulic pressure presently attacking the shoreline. Secondly, once the current is controlled, the Akugbene shoreline should be protected with well-designed engineering structures such as revetments, retaining walls, gabion systems, sheet piles, riprap armoring, or other shoreline stabilization technologies. These must be based strictly on professional geotechnical, hydrological, and environmental studies to ensure durability, sustainability, and long-term protection.
I, therefore, call on relevant government agencies, environmental authorities, interventionist bodies, Niger Delta development institutions, and responsible corporate entities to treat this situation as a priority emergency. Akugbene Community deserves timely and sustainable shoreline protection to prevent further collapse and safeguard the lives, livelihood, and future of the people.
Akugbene must be protected now before the damage becomes irreversible.
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